Advent – Celebrating German Holiday Traditions in America: Celebrating German Holiday Traditions in America I grew up in a German household in Southern California celebrating German traditions like Advent. We spoke German in the home, my parents had German friends that were like family (we addressed them as Tante and Onkel), and they had kids who lived in…
Author: karenanne
St Martin’s Day Germany – What is St Martin’s Tag and how is it Celebrated?
I visited Germany in November a few years ago and was delighted to experience my first St. Martin’s Tag (St.Martin’s Day in Germany). Kids were out in the neighborhood after dark (which comes VERY EARLY in Nord-Rhine Westfalen in November) on November 11, carrying lanterns on poles and singing as they walked down the street. Lantern Statue in Bad Homburg …
Christmas Tree Lametta- German Tinsel for the Christmas Tree
„Früher war mehr Lametta“ Loriot We always had Lametta, or Tinsel, for the Christmas Tree, a German Tradition. (Even for their first Christmas in America, my parents had it!) These long strands of silver hang from the tree, looking like shiny icicles. Mom insisted on it. I loved it, even though none of my American friends had a Christmas…
Memories of my Oma’s Keller – The Wonders of the German Basement
You could blindfold me, spin me in a circle three times, and drop me through time and space into Oma’s Keller, and I would still instantly know where I was, just by the smell and feel of the air; cold, with a hint of damp, the smell of earth and laundry soap, and maybe a little oil? The door…
The Book “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr
All the Light We Cannot See Some mom friends of mine recently convinced me to joint their book club. I love reading, so, it seemed like a natural. The first assigned book “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr was a tough one for me. It’s well written and engaging… but it’s about World War 2 in Germany…
The Flour is Different – German Recipes for the American Kitchen
The Flour Is Different: German Heritage Recipes and Traditions “The Flour is Different… Das Mehl ist Anders.” My mom took one look at the cover of this book and said, “ It’s true, the flour here is different”. For German Bakers in America, this can be rather frustrating. Baked goods like bread and cakes don’t come out “right”. (But, it…
Spaghetti Eis Recipe- How to Make This German Ice Cream Dessert
I know it’s for kids, but whenever I’m in Germany, I have to eat Spaghetti Eis at least once a visit! Honestly, Eis in Germany is the best!! The Spaghetti Eis Recipe (Ice Cream) for those of you who have never had it is not actually spaghetti. It’s delicious vanilla ice cream pushed through a press to look like pasta.…
Wendt and Kühn Angels- The Grünhainichen Angel Orchestra
I love my Wendt and Kühn Angels! The Grünhainichen Angel Orchestra sits on my mantle at Christmastime. Their sweet faces make me smile. When it’s time to unpack our set of Wooden Angels, it takes me back to my childhood. When I was a little girl I would spend hours arranging and re-arranging the bands of angels, and I even imagined…
Renewing Wedding Vows in Germany- Randy Aderholt Shares his Story
Randy Aderholt wrote this fantastic story about renewing his wedding vows in Uthleben, Thuringia to share with us. Randy writes…..” I had traced my family back to Uthleben, Thuringia. I first visited in 2009, making friends and meeting actual German cousins. I realized that in 2010 , the 300th anniversary of my ancestors wedding would occur. This would be my grandparents…
A Wonderful Story about Finding Family by Veronika Hearn
This guest post about Finding Family is from my new friend Veronika Hearn. Warning! It will bring happy tears to your eyes! Veronika and her sisters, Angelika and Doris. I guess from the beginning of my life of when I was born in Frankfurt, Germany. A young couple( my adoptive parents) in the Army had been stationed to Germany, they…